Some pool cleaners include a debris bag to hold captured debris. There are different ways of connecting the debris bags to the pool cleaners. Some of the common attachment structures disclosed in the prior art have significant drawbacks because of potential difficulties of correctly attaching a debris bag to a pool cleaner, or costs associated with the replacement of worn or damaged debris bags. One known style of debris bag includes a mesh bag permanently attached to a collar. The collar is designed to attach to the pool cleaner so that the debris bag is in communication with the pool cleaner and secure during the cleaning process. When the debris bag becomes worn, it must be replaced. Therefore, during replacement, both the debris bag and collar must be disposed of due to the permanent nature of the attachment. Furthermore, permanently attached collars are subject to wear and damage. Should a collar need to be replaced, the permanently attached bag that is not worn or damaged is replaced as well. Both scenarios may result in increased expense because of replacing parts that are still functional.
Other known debris bags are connected to collars that require the opening of the debris bag to be captured between the collar and an outlet of the pool cleaner. These attachment structures can be complicated or difficult to perform. If a user does not correctly attach the debris bag, it may separate as the flow of water works against debris collecting in the bag. One example of a complicated connection involves pulling the open end of a debris bag through the attachment collar and over the outlet of the pool cleaner. The user then must hold the debris bag in place over the outlet while attaching the collar to the outlet to capture the open end between the outlet and the collar.
Another prior art example includes a flexible internal collar that has a split portion. The collar is sized to fit around the outlet of the pool cleaner such that the outlet forces the split portion open. The debris bag includes opposed interlocking fasteners (e.g., hook and loop strips) positioned on the outside of the debris bag across the split portion. The debris bag is attached to the cleaner by sliding the collar down over the pool cleaner outlet and securing the interlocking fasteners such that the split portion is collapsed and the collar forms a friction seal around the pool cleaner outlet. This way of connecting the debris bag requires the user to ensure that the connection is tight enough so as to not allow the debris bag to separate from the pool cleaner.
A debris bag having a separable collar that is not complicated or difficult to attach to the pool cleaner would allow the user to dispose of the debris bag or collar as needed. The releasable assembly disclosed herein may result in users saving money by allowing them to reuse the collar, while at the same time preventing unnecessary waste from going into the environment. Additionally, in some instances, a user may have multiple debris bags. When a first bag is filled with debris, the user may replace it with a second, empty bag. A debris bag with an attachable collar would allow for the pool cleaner to keep operating using the second debris bag while the user has the ability to empty the first debris bag at his/her convenience.
Other advantages of the type of attachment disclosed in the present application include providing flexibility to the user while minimizing the replacement cost. A user may have different sizes of debris bags for use depending on the amount of debris in the pool. A smaller debris bag may be easier to empty and allow the pool cleaner to move faster because of reduced drag caused by the debris bag. The relationship between the bag and the pool cleaner may be advantageous for cleaning a pool in minimal time when there is minimal debris to be cleaned. Further, debris bags may have different types of materials for retaining different types of debris. For example, a large or coarse filter media material debris bag may be used when large debris, such as leaves, are in the pool. Other times, a smaller or finer filter media material debris bag may be more effective. The flexibility of using different debris bags with the same collar because of the presently disclosed attachment structure has the potential to impact the time it takes to clean the pool, which could affect the cost of operating the pool and the convenience to the operator in performing the required pool maintenance.